Gloucs get through at second attempt

Gloucestershire showed that the victory was worth waiting for as they beat Worcestershire by five runs at New Road in the NatWest Trophy third round match which had to be replayed because Worcestershire had included an ineligible player - 19 year-old quick bowler Kabir Ali - in the first match (which they had won).

For a time it seemed that the home county would prosper again. Glenn McGrath (4-23), who struck first in his opening over, spearheaded the attack which dismissed Gloucestershire for 163 in 49.3 overs, an apparently inadequate score. McGrath, who had been presented with his International Cricketer of the Year award the previous evening, trapped Bob Cunliffe right at the start of the innings. Experienced campaigner Kim Barnett (26) prospered for a time untilhe cut a ball from Leatherdale into the hands of Hick at slip.

Ian Harvey brought greater respectability to the score by hitting 32 at more than a run a ball. Yet what the Australian ace could achieve the comparatively unknown quick bowler James Averis (4-36) repeated. His victims included Graeme Hick, the opposing captain, and Vikram Solanki. Solanki's extended run of limited-overs low scores can do little for his confidence for the forthcoming NatWest Series. Ryan Driver, man-of-the-match in the first match, now was dismissed without scoring.

So well did he bowl that after a confident start by Paul Pollard (55) the Worcestershire batting fell away completely. Ian Harvey, like McGrath, had broken through in his first over - Elliot Wilson being the batsman. Poor light and tight bowling kept the runs down to a trickle. At 141-9 they looked out of the picture until Steve Rhodes (43) threatened to turn a tight contest. He was bowled eventually by Martyn Ball with just three deliveries of the match left.

This win pitches Gloucestershire straight into a fourth-round match with Leicestershire at Grace Road tomorrow.

Gloucestershire coach John Bracewell admitted his side had played their `get-out-of-jail free' card to defeat Worcestershire in today's NatWest Trophy third-round replay at New Road.

"We have played our `free' card and now we have to be a little more honest inour performances than we were the first time we played Worcestershire - when we weren't honest to ourselves."

Worcestershire coach Bill Athey said: "We are bitterly disappointed"